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Digital photography and phones with cameras have really made it easy for artists to record information for later use in the studio. While photos open up the world of ideas...they can also close it down. Here are some tips for those 2000 (or so) photos you have to spark your imaginative fire.

Alternative Surfaces - Karen Leslie Hall

2000 Photos and Nothing to Paint: Part 1 - Christine Camilleri

Digital photography and software is one of tools around for an artist...if you know how to take advantage of all those pixels!

Has this happened to you? You have tons of reference material but just look at each photo and no spark of creativity strikes. You scroll through them for a couple of hours and then, frustrated, give up.

My Painting Process - Christine Camilleri

I had a lot of fun with this painting and wanted to share my process.

The first thing I did when planning this painting was to really think about the subject of bison. How big they are, how solid, their bulk and their herd instinct. I thought of the great plains and how hot and dry it could be. All of these elements I wanted to convey in my painting.

Portrait of Les Richardson - David Parson

I first begin by preparing a board with a mixture of gesso pumice and green acrylic paint. I then roughly sketch in the main elements of the portrait using roughly the colours to be used. Happy with the general likeness I move on to the next step.

Shipping Tips

Colour Explorations- Tim Daniels

One of the many advanages of soft pastel is the enormous variety of colours that are available to artists. However, this abundance does come at a cost (financial and artistic). Too much choice can lead to confusion and chaos.

French Envelope Framing- Brittani Faulkes

French evelope framing is an old method which has the glazing come into contact with the artwork. It is not an archival method of framing, because when glazing comes into conact with the artwork, over time, there is the potential for the art's image to "ghost" into the glazing.

Structure, Contrast and Movement - Tim Daniels

When people as me what I paint, I ofen stumble through a very inadequate response. I tell them that I do still life and landscape. Soon, I'll be putting people in some of my work. This doesn't begin to describe what I'm really interested in as an artist. "Structure, contrast and movement" would be a more accurate description.

Great Grey Owl - Kelly Dodge

After three weeks of intense observation, sketching and photographing of the Great Grey Owl on my property, I decided it was time to proceed with a painting. The Great Grey had proven to be a very co-operative model and I was eager to attempt a portrayal of her majestic beauty.

From watercolour to pastel - Rosemary Simpson

Watercolour is a beautiful, expressive medium. I did a watercolour up north in the autumn some years ago to capture the early morning sun on Lake Couchiching, the moisture still hanging in the air. I felt good about the finished work and left it for a long while. Then one day, I came upon it while cleaning up my studio files and decided to use dry pastel to express the same mood.

Working from a photo - Ursula Reese

The Potential of Pastel

To learn more about the pastel medium and discover the who, what, where of past and present pastel artists take a look at PAC President, Ruth Rodgers' article originally created for the AFAC Conference in 2011.